03/19/13: Cowboys chat with SportsDay beat writer Brandon George

Brandon George answers your questions at 1 p.m. Tuesday, but ask your questions now and he will have them when he arrives. Thanks for your readership!

by SportsDayDFW3/18/2013 11:31:56 PM

Hello again everyone. Welcome back to another live Cowboys chat on www.dallasnews.com. We host live Cowboys chats every Tuesday afternoon during the off-season. We appreciate you joining us today. I'll try to get to as many of your questions as possible over the next hour, so fire away.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:00:26 PM

Greetings Brandon - Thanks for hosting today's chat. Based on what Stephen Jones has said since arriving at the owners’ meetings, does it sound like the Cowboys actually have a plan for what they want to do with the draft and the remainder of free agency this year? Or are they just figuring it out as they go?

by G-Money3/19/2013 6:00:37 PM

Well, the money the Cowboys have available is always a moving target. They can create more salary cap space by cutting more players, restructuring more contracts or signing Tony Romo and/or Anthony Spencer to long-term contracts. Right now, the Cowboys only have about $100,000 available under the salary cap, so they can't sign any free agents right now. They'd like to sign a veteran safety but that won't be possible unless they create more space. Right now, the plan is to focus on the draft. They must draft well this year to improve this team on the field in 2013.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:02:17 PM

any chance we look at Pollard from ravens

by jroy213/19/2013 6:02:22 PM

I don't know how many different ways to say this, but the Cowboys don't have any money to spend right now. The plan is to get healthy, go with the players they have on the roster and draft well.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:03:14 PM

Will Cowboys draft OL or DL at 18? Will Danny Coale be 3rd WR this year?

by TDTEXAS3/19/2013 6:03:15 PM

I think they should draft an OL. I've said that all along. This OL needs to be better next season and they could use help inside or at tackle if they decide to cut RT Doug Free after June 1.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:08:18 PM

As far as Coale as the third WR, I believe the lead candidate for that spot would be Dwayne Harris based on how he finished the season last year.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:08:46 PM

Is it possible the offensive line could get better with a season under their belt, and a (hopefully) a healthy offseason to work together. Or, must we draft a lineman in the first round?

by rickreeves3/19/2013 6:08:59 PM

Sure, they could and should get better with a season under Bill Callahan. However, the Cowboys need to add players along the OL and should use the draft to do that. It should be a high priority and, by all accounts, it is.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:09:45 PM

With Dallas in the Hall of Fame game, i understand it's likely the Cowboys will play five preseason games. If that is the case, is that really the best thing for this team? Or is it just a money-publicity grab, damn the consequences.

by Mark3/19/2013 6:09:47 PM

Well, Jerry Jones loves the spotlight. And, yes, it would likely mean five preseason games for the Cowboys and more money. You can look at it two ways: The Cowboys should benefit by an extra week of training camp practices and an extra preseason game to get used to playing the 4-3 versus the 3-4 base defense. On the other hand, the Cowboys really struggled with injuries last season and haven't got much younger this off-season, so more games will mean more chances to get hurt.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:11:34 PM

How much do you believe the success of draft picks are dependent on a coach's ability to develop a player? For example, player A & B are equal at the draft, but one plays for a team with strong coaching for his position, one does not. I am trying to rationalize how the Cowboys could have missed so badly in 2008 & 2009. I mean, they were all quality players coming out of college, weren't they?

by Display Name:Mark3/19/2013 6:11:42 PM

So many things go into the draft and who each team selects and how that player develops. Some of it's coaching, some of it's opportunity, staying healthy, work ethic, and on and on. The Cowboys simply missed and missed again on the 2008 and 2009 drafts (especially 2009). It's the big reason why this team has so many depth problems right now.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:13:34 PM

Can you explain this new RB helmet rule? DeMarco Murray likes to put his head down and plow through tacklers, especially in the open field. Is this going to cripple his running style?

by Mark3/19/2013 6:13:42 PM

Well, it's part of the NFL wanting to protect its players more and guard against concussions, etc. Basically, a RB can't lower his head and use his helmet as a weapon. The rule still has to be passed. You would get a penalty for doing so and/or be fined by the league. And, yes, Murray will have to adjust to the rule if it is implemented because he does like to punish would-be tacklers. However, it shouldn't cripple him.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:15:04 PM

Thanks Brandon. Based on what you know, do JJ and Coach Garrett view any of the personnel moves they made last offseason as mistakes that they don’t want to repeat this offseason? If so, which moves?

by G-Money3/19/2013 6:15:06 PM

At this point, the two personnel moves the Cowboys made last off-season that they would view as a mistake would be the free agent signings of veteran safety Brodney Pool and LB Dan Connor. Pool was a Rob Ryan guy and Pool failed the conditioning test at the start of training camp and was cut a few days later. It was a mistake, plain and simple. Connor played last season but didn't contribute as much as the Cowboys expected and Dallas recently cut him.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:17:32 PM

Do you have any updates on the health status of all the Cowboys who ended the year injured? Thanks.

by Cowboy Guy3/19/2013 6:17:46 PM

Several Cowboys players had off-season surgeries. I was told the number was around 15. All the surgeries have been taken care of and the players are recovering. From what I've heard, they're all expected to be ready by the start of training camp practices in July. LB/DE DeMarcus Ware doesn't need elbow surgery at this point after undergoing shoulder surgery.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:18:56 PM

Do you think we should kick the tires on Chad Johnson as a 3-4th WR? can't be any worse than Ogletree was

by jeff3/19/2013 6:18:56 PM

As I said earlier, the Cowboys can't kick the tires on any players right now because they don't have the salary cap space to sign any player. In fact, they have to free up about $8 million going forward just to be able to sign their six draft picks. However, I still don't think they'd be interested in Chad Johnson even if they had the money.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:20:10 PM

Let's say that the Boys restructure some more contracts and free up some money. If that might happen, would they be interested in Osi Yumeniora from the Giants?

by Joe Studebaker3/19/2013 6:20:14 PM

They'd have to free up a lot of money to get him, and I don't see that as an option right now. That said, he's obviously good friends with LB DeMarcus Ware having played with him in college and high school.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:21:55 PM

The Boys have been "hiding in the tall weeds" during the free agency signing frenzy, so to speak. With that said, which player contracts created all this "dead money" for the Cowboys?

by Franco's Bail Bonds3/19/2013 6:21:57 PM

Wow, the list goes back a ways. Several players have created this issue. The Cowboys year after year have restructured contracts and cut players to get under the salary cap. All it has done is push the problem down the road, to another year. Eventually, they're going to have to bite the bullet and clean up their salary cap situation.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:23:23 PM

The Cowboys are working out Texas A&M LB Sean Porter today in College Station.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:29:11 PM

The Cowboys will be working out Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro on Wednesday.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:29:28 PM

Baylor's NFL pro day is tomorrow in Waco, and Texas' is next Tuesday in Austin. I'll be at both and tweeting and blogging updates that you can follow.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:29:55 PM

Looking at what's happened in free agency so far, should Cowboys fans be concerned that the team is falling behind the rest of the NFC East teams? Which teams in particular have made the most significant upgrades to their rosters over the last few weeks?

by G-Money3/19/2013 6:29:57 PM

You really don't know if the Cowboys have fallen behind other NFC East teams until you see what the free agent signings do during the 2013 season. Did you view the Eagles' signing of CB Nnamdi Asomugha as putting the Cowboys farther behind Philly? Probably. And it didn't turn out well at all for the Eagles. So, we'll have to wait and see how far the Cowboys have fallen behind their NFC East foes. Sometimes, adding free agents to the roster isn't a positive. But certainly the Cowboys need to improve on the field.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:32:34 PM

Any idea how the Hall of Fame game is organized? Do teams offer to play it? Does the NFL call the teams and tell them they are playing? Are teams with enshrinees invited and the NFL picks two?

by Kyle3/19/2013 6:32:49 PM

The NFL usually likes to have teams in the game that have former players being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame that weekend. That works well. Not sure if teams can turn down the game or not.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:33:45 PM

Do they really need ot eventually bite bullet and face cap consequences?

by Austin Rob3/19/2013 6:33:52 PM

At some point, you would think they will have to clean up the salary cap situation. But they're not going to do it while Tony Romo is still QB and the Cowboys feel like they have a chance to make a playoff run. So you figure they won't do it for as long as they give Romo an extension this off-season ...

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:34:48 PM

Do they really need to bite the bullet and face the cap? It seems like the Jerry way to just delay and delay. If that's the approach (however misguided), he can restructure contracts forever.

by Austin Rob3/19/2013 6:34:51 PM

What do you make of Jason Garrett's decision to go to LSU's pro day? Is there any reason he shouldn't go to as many as he can?

by Steve3/19/2013 6:35:01 PM

Jason is a busy man and the Cowboys have scouts in place for a reason. He can't be everywhere. He has gone to just one each year. The Cowboys have sent assistant coaches to others. What do I make of it? Well, he went to USC's two years ago and the Cowboys drafted Tyron Smith with their first-round pick. Last year, Garrett went to Alabama's and the Cowboys drafted LSU CB Morris Claiborne. So it's 50-50 based on that, but Garrett wouldn't be going to LSU's pro day if the Cowboys weren't seriously looking at some of the Tigers' players. It's not a leisure trip for him.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:36:52 PM

Okay, I understand your point. So I'll rephrase my question: which free agent acquisitions by the other NFC East teams have the greatest potential to significantly improve the teams that acquired them?

by G-Money3/19/2013 6:46:18 PM

Nothing has really blown me away. I think the biggest change for the Eagles this off-season will be their new coach and what he brings to the table with a new offense. Philly needed a change and the former Oregon coach Chip Kelly should bring some fire back to that team ...

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:47:18 PM

Odds of Free being a Cowboys when the season starts? That's a lot of $$$ for somebody who got benched at the end of 2012. Worst.Contract.Extension.Ever

by Austin Rob3/19/2013 6:47:19 PM

Considering how the Cowboys continue to say that there is no guarantee that Free is on the roster by the start of the season leads me to believe that he won't be, especially considering his contract. But, a lot of that will come down to who the Cowboys get in the draft. If they draft a tackle who can start right away or at least some with Jermey Parnell for the starting RT job then that would mean bad news for Free.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:48:35 PM

I think the salary cap is bs. Especially now..lol. Seriously...what do you think about it?

by El Cartier3/19/2013 6:48:40 PM

I totally agree because teams can manipulate their salary cap space in so many ways and restructure contracts over and over again and keep pushing off the problems that it really lessens what the salary cap is in place to do, and that's to promote balance with an even playing field. Really, what's the point of having a salary cap in place if you're going to allow teams to manipulate the number by restructuring contracts?

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:50:30 PM

Do you think franchising spencer was a good idea? Why not let him walk and let crawford take his spot and we could use that money for rookies and free agents?

by jroyboys3/19/2013 6:51:38 PM

Yes, I like bringing Spencer back. I think he earned that with his play last season and you can argue that he's been the Cowboys' best defensive player over the last two seasons. This team isn't in position to allow good players to walk.

by Brandon George3/19/2013 6:52:15 PM

That's all the time I have for today. Thanks for joining me for another live Cowboys chat. Come back next Tuesday for another one. Also, follow me on Twitter at @dmn_george for all the breaking Cowboys news. You can follow our Cowboys Blog for all the up-to-date Cowboys news, too. I'll be at Baylor's Pro Day on Wednesday in Waco and Texas' Pro Day on Tuesday in Austin and I'll be blogging and tweeting from those events, so stay tuned. Until next time, take care ...